Customer Reviews

Men of Salt: Crossing the Sahara on the Caravan of White Gold

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Exotic space, broken languages, sand for toilet paper, 40 days away from what you know and whom you love, such is the inner and outer world of the Sahara desert that Michael Benanav draws you into in his book, Men of Salt. Unlike other adventure books that celebrate the challenge between the mind and the physical, Men of Salt is so much more than that. Benanev in order to enter the desert must leave behind who he is, his girlfriend, and his identity as a Jew. He must leave behind all manner physical comforts -- including when to wake, when to sleep and when to eat. As he learns to rein the literal camel that he is riding, he discovers that he must also rein in the stallion of his mind which would rather quit or be in control but can do neither.

Benanev is a brilliant writer. While he unveils his story in language as simple and clear as an article in the National Geographic, he explores the territory of the Taureg people, their world where men cover their faces and women do not, and, the very stability of their harvest of salt in an era of the internet and cell phones. Gifted in languages, he speaks French fluently and is well versed in Arabic. Unfortunately, although the trekking company promised him a guide fluent in French, he finds that he must rely on Walid who speaks no French and his Arabic is more Taureg than conversational Egyptian. Like a mountaineer who discovers that his map of the route is incomplete but is is the only one he has, Benanev finds that he must take Walid as his compass, even if -- and they do -- get lost.

Benanev also does a wonderful job of describing the salt trade and how its economy sustains the people and culture of Mali. Seemlessly, he weaves into his story his observations on the impact of globalism -- especially road building. However, rather than presenting a sermon, he leaves the reader with useful questions to ask, many of which may challenge basic assumptions.

And yet, no matter how intellectually speculative Benanev becomes, he is ever ready to return to reality. Be it the saddle sores on his butt or the joy of finding a thorn tree in the empty space, our writer is always aware of the frailties of his own body -- and hilariously, his own ego. A master linguist, he finds himself again and again in situations where he has thought he has everything figured out, only to find that that he has said, while completely understood, was completely rejected and the only one who didn't get it was he.

For the sake of credibility, I wish I could find a way to criticize this book but I cannot. Men of Salt is simply the best book I have read in a year and his capacity for story telling and reflection is totally on a par with Joe Simpson's "Touching the Void." Benanev's book will touch anyone who loves history, adventure, economics, or the uncharted areas of the heart. He may have started out as a stranger in a strange land, but when you join him in his return to Timbuktu, you, too, feel as if you've come home.

Roseanne Freese

Rather than repeating others' rave reviews, as the thirteenth reviewer, I'd like to give prospective readers a sampling of Benanav's descriptions and wit, which, in part, are what make MEN OF SALT: CROSSING THE SAHARA ON THE CARAVAN OF WHITE GOLD such a great read.
--To explain his reservations about the trip, Benanav writes, "I was a bit uneasy about the historical precedent of guides killing their clients in the middle of the desert.... Moreover...six months earlier, the United States had invaded Iraq....Though I knew that most people in most places easily distinguished between individuals and their government, I was wary of how I'd be received as an American at that time; it'd be best, I concluded, not to let anyone know that I was Jewish, too."
--The first time he had dorno, "the nomad version of an energy shake," Benanav describes it as "a good substitute for papier mache paste."
--As he walks along side his nomadic guide, Benanav notes that "though my strides were longer, my feet sank and slid backward in the sand while Walid's padded nimbly over the surface. Walking through the desert with a nomad was like swimming with a seal."
--Aware that trucks will soon likely replace camels on the salt route, Benanav laments that "the noble ships of the desert, it seems, were bound for dry dock."
--After enduring his second torturous day, Benanav realizes "that the safest place in the Sahara was not a place at all, but a time: night." And as the caravan begins to travel again, he observes that they "marched through the glow of a lustrous copper sunset and into the ghostly light cast by the almost half-moon. The world was shades of indigo and steel. The hills before us rose like rollers in a dark sea."

And so on. There was so much stellar writing in this book by page 50, in fact, that I put down the library copy I was reading and went to Amazon to order my own so that I could underline the many parts I wanted to share with friends.

As an avid reader but seldom of non-fiction, I was completely surprised by an instant addiction to "Men of Salt" by Michael Benanav. His real life drama as it unfolds, sinks its teeth into the reader as much as a page turner as a thriller. Mr. Benanav looks for and finds so much that is positive in a very hostile environment and from a culture so different from his own. We
can only hope for more from this talented writer.

If you ever dreamed of crossing the desert on a camel, but will likely never really do it, this is about as close as you can get to truly being there... and maybe as close as you would WANT to get. Liberally sprinkled with suspense, humour, history, personal revelation and surprises, this book is a must for the armchair adventurer who wants to know what it's really like to travel the desert with ancient nomadic tribes. A compelling and illuminating read!

The book "The Men of Salt" tells the story of an amazing adventure of a young man following the salt caravans across the sahara desert. Michael Benanav trusted his life to his Saharan guide as they crossed a thousand miles of desert. Had his guide decided to leave him at any time, he would never have been able to find his way to the next well.

"The Men of Salt" is a story of an amazing modern day adventure.

The book is beautifully written. I have never before read a book and then reread it immediately. The second read was just as interesting as it gave me an even better sense of the people he met and the dangers of the Sahara.

The author takes us on a journey to a part of the world that few of us will ever discover for ourselves. I especially loved the cultural/historical background he combined with his tale of traveling with a guide to the salt mines of the Sahara. A terrific book. I recommend it highly.

MEN OF SALT: CROSSING THE SAHARA ON THE CARAVAN OF WHITE GOLD recounts the experiences of an author who joined what is known as the Caravan of White Gold on its mission into the heart of the Sahara to haul back slabs of salt for sale. He lived for weeks among the camel drivers, experienced their daily hardships and journey, and learned all about how to care for and ride camels and how to approach the desert world. His story is true-life adventure at its best, and provides insights into the culture and experiences of a world few outsiders get to see.

What a wonderful adventurer! Benanav takes you with him to meet interesting people and to investigate places you maybe never heard of. I found myself reading this book very slowly because I did not want it to end. The pictures formed in my mind from his descriptions were awesome and the pictures in the book helped to make the people described real. Benanav's style of writing made me feel that I was there with him and felt all of the emotions that he described. Where will we find Michael Benanav in his (our) next adventure? I'm looking forward to more books by this writer.

What a great read. This book is so interesting I couldn't put it down.
The author goes off and joins the Caravan of White Gold (they call it that because salt used to literally be worth its weight in gold) on a trip into the heart of the Sahara (natives call it the Land of Terror) to bring slabs of salt back to sell. He lives for weeks with the camel drivers, travels eighteen hours a day for nearly a thousand miles without a map or landmark, through sandstorms and the deadly heat. Along the way, he learns how to care for and ride camels, give first aid to injured salt miners, and so much more. It's like an Indiana Jones adventure but better!

Reading books is my passion and hobby and I can safely say that this book is one of the best travel accounts I have ever read.
This is an amazing account of the author journeying through probably most difficult terrain on earth and discovering a new face of humanity and himself in the process.
The author is not only a seasoned traveler, but also a skillful writer; a combination of skills which makes this book a page-turner and a joy to read.
Give this book a try and you will not be disappointed !!!